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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29416092">Spitfire in a Flower Garden</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/raak1101/pseuds/raak'>raak (raak1101)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>OMORI (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff and Humor, I hereby christen this ship Bushfire, Minor Original Character(s), Post-Canon, Post-good ending, Romance, Slice of Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:54:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,863</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29416092</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/raak1101/pseuds/raak</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What are the odds? Someone tell her what are the odds that a blind date ends up with him?<br/>They have grown. Might not be a bad idea to catch up.</p><p>Happy Valentine's</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aubrey/Basil (OMORI)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Spitfire in a Flower Garden</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Valentine's.</p><p>OMORI's warnings apply slightly.</p><p>Enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h2>Spitfire in a Flower Garden</h2><hr/><p>"Ma'am… do you… need something?"</p><p>Aubrey bit back an exasperated growl. A pretty girl dressed up to turn heads, waiting for over an hour alone in a restaurant. She knew damn well how it looked like. Never mind that it was a table for four.</p><p>"I'm fine." She forced herself to be polite. But the way the waitress flinched; it seems like it hadn’t worked out that well. "I'm sorry. Just annoyed my friends are taking their sweet ass time. Just… refill my cup."</p><p>"S-sure. What are you drinking, ma'am?"</p><p>Her initial intention was to be truthful. But before answering, she glanced at the cellphone in her hand and reconsidered. She opened the menu. "Bring me a bottle of… this one!" She pointed at a bottle of wine in the mid-high price range. If she was forced to wait, she might as well enjoy herself a bit at the expense of her "friend".</p><p>"…Excellent choice, ma'am. Anything else?" – Aubrey shook her head – "I'll be right back!"</p><p>The young waitress left; relief insultingly clear on her face. Aubrey didn't mind. She knew she could be a bitch when angry. Or mildly annoyed. Or in every day life. Honestly? She sometimes wondered how she had any friends at all. And speaking of…</p><p>She looked down at her cellphone.</p><p>
  <em>SOOOOOOOOORRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY-</em>
</p><p>The 'Y's continued for another three lines, with a promise to cover her bill. With specimens like her friend, no wonder they called the College of Psychology the "loony bin".</p><p>At times like these, Aubrey missed the despairingly quiet of her hometown, where her biggest worry was the walking emotional disasters that were Sunny and Basil. She still kept in contact with the old gang – the Hooligans – and some of the old-old gang – her childhood friends. She had taken Kel's parents' words at heart and made sure to touch base with her friends at least once a year, but most likely once every three to six months depending on the person.</p><p>But the truth of the matter was that she couldn't survive off those spatially distant friendships. Time moved on. People grew apart, if not emotionally, at least physically. She was in college, with none of her friends. Some went to other colleges. Others remained in Faraway honing a trade. Kel remained a mystery wrapped in an enigma and tied with a conundrum.</p><p>So she was forced to adapt. Grow. Try and make new friends. Or at least good acquaintances. And what better place than the loony bin- er, her department in college?</p><p>Enter Lunette, a mousy girl, same year of college, with a fascination for horror movies. They bonded over their parents' atrocious naming sensibilities. There were others, sure, but this girl was the current bane of her existence.</p><p>-o-</p><p>
  <em>"Aubrey! You're single, right?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hmm? Yes. But I'm not looking for anybody, really."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Do you want to go on a double blind date with me?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Are you listening?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Well, only half a blind date. There's this cute guy I'm into, but he's very shy and won't go unless his friend is there."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Sounds like a keeper…"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Please. Everyone I know is already happily paired off. I need you to be my wingwoman!"</em>
</p><p>-o-</p><p>And damnit! Let it be known that Aubergine Williams was the best goddamn wingwoman this side of the US of A! Even if it meant going to a stupid blind date and smashing a poor sap's heart in half. Or quarters. Maybe even a dozen.</p><p>If only the couple plus one wasn't one hour and a half late…</p><p>Angrily sipping at the wine that her friend was going to magnanimously pay for, she sent concise and polite, but stern, text message.</p><p>
  <em>WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!</em>
</p><p>Polite as heck.</p><p>
  <em>SOWIE. Traffic was bein meany :'(<br/>
Almost there. 10 min tops!</em>
</p><p>Aubrey fumed. The guy she was being forced to date better be good eye candy. No. He better be nirvana to the eyes. A veritable Adonis walking the Earth, sculpted by the hands of Aphrodite herself. So far up in a pedestal than when she pushed him off, the impact with the floor will make a satisfying, meaty thud.</p><p>The things she did for friends. She should be canonized. Saint Aubergine has a very nice and legit ring to it.</p><p>She pulled mirror out of her purse and quickly checked herself. Makeup? Still holding up. Hair? Still the natural black she opted to grow back, with pink and purple streaks to bring out both some color and closure, combed to perfection. Hair ribbon? Omnipresent. Dress? Stunning. Existential crisis? Nowhere to be seen. That's always plus.</p><p>Snapping the mirror shut and placing her wine cup on the table, she leaned back and relaxed. As annoyed as she was at being made to wait, it wouldn't do for her anger to mess up her composure.</p><p>Not even ten seconds passed when pair of arms from behind dragged her into a hug.</p><p>"Aubrey!!! I'm soooooooooooooooo soooooorrrryyyyyyyyyy!"</p><p>"Hi Lunette," Aubrey greet, voice carefully devoid of emotion. "How magnanimous of you to join me… almost two hours late."</p><p>Her classmate was a girl with brown hair, dressed in a formal but simple pinkish purple dress. She clapped her hands together and bowed deeply. "I know, I know! There's apparently a convention in town and the streets are packed! We weren't expecting it. Please forgive me."</p><p>"You're paying for my food?" Aubrey asked, too preoccupied making sure her hair remained presentable after that surprise assault to spare a look at her classmate.</p><p>"Yes. I promised you to make up for it and I will."</p><p>Aubrey sighed. "Then I guess I will find it in my heart to forgive you." She stood up, absentmindedly flattening any wrinkle on her dress. She turned around to face her companions for the evening.</p><p>"Thanks. Oh, let me introduce you to our dates. This is…"</p><p>Aubrey didn't listen to a single word said. She was too catatonic staring at a similarly shocked man.</p><p>What were the odds? No, seriously, somebody whip out a calculator or an abacus or whatever and tell her what were that actual fucking odds? The odds that, out of all the eligible bachelors in her age group that reside in the country – nay, THIS CITY – <strong>HE</strong> in particular is the one to show up. Did he even live here?</p><p>Was he even considered <em>eligible</em>? You know… given she was a 'she'?</p><p>"And this is your date. His name is-"</p><p>"Basil/Aubrey!?" both of them said at the same time.</p><p>His voice was deeper than she remembered. He looked more… stereotypically manlier. Still somewhat effeminate: lean build, delicate face – not helped even a bit by the messy blond hair and baby blue eyes; even the pink flower clip he still carried around was an accessory you wouldn't typically think as "manly". Although it being currently pinned on his beige sport jacket rather than his hair downplayed its effects.</p><p>"Oh, you know each other?"</p><p>Aubrey was still in too much shock to answer her friend. Thankfully, Basil managed to compose himself. "Well… um… yeah? Kinda. We used to… we knew each others as kids. Grew up in the same town."</p><p>"Childhood friends!? That's so romantic!"</p><p>It wasn't. Not close. Not even remotely. She needed a new term to describe just how extra-dimensionally far that sentiment was from the target.</p><p>"A-anyways. Get your butts on the seats," Aubrey ordered. "I've been here since forever and I'm starving." Whatever it took to fling the conversation as far away as possible from her and Basil's shared past.</p><p>"Oooh, wine!" Lunette approached the bucket where the bottle rested.</p><p>Aubrey slapped her hand. "Hey, hands off the goods. The wine is mine!"</p><p>"You bought an entire bottle for yourself?"</p><p>She narrowed her eyes. "No. <em>You </em>bought me an entire bottle. Because you are paying for my food as an apology. Remember?"</p><p>"Er…" The memory of an ill-fated text message, sent while Aubrey waited, passed through both minds.</p><p>"And somewhere between the tenth and twentieth time browsing the menu, I saw the most delightful looking lobsters in the seafood section. I think I'm having that."</p><p>"I said I'm sorry. Hurt me, but spare my wallet!"</p><p>-o-</p><p>This was awkward. Well, not exactly. But it sure as hell felt weird. Aubrey remained silent for most of the meal, opting to not participate in the conversation unless spoken to. Surprisingly, Basil was more open, but mostly because once you got him talking, he would get lost in his world, spewing factoids about either gardening, photography, or journalism. Apparently, he was in the city as part of his job at a newspaper and coincidentally met Lunette's date – whose name Aubrey didn't catch and was too self-conscious to inquire – while doing some good ol' investigative journalism. Who knew THAT would be Basil's job? Photographer, she could see. But actual journalism?</p><p>Really put into perspective how long it has been since she last saw Faraway's flower boy. Man. Manboy. Damnit!</p><p>"You're okay? Aubrey?"</p><p>Hypnotizing blue eyes stared at her faux teal ones. She must have been wearing her emotions on her sleeves. Basil's expression was a mixture of worry, anxiety, and amusement.</p><p>"Yeah. What's up with that?" Lunette asked. "You're normally pretty talkative."</p><p>"Uh… well… I guess I just…" – <em>'don't trust myself to talk to Basil without bringing up the elephant in the room' </em>– "I guess I'm just still shocked about meeting Basil here of all places."</p><p>"Oh yeah! Tell us about how you two know each other. Beside just 'childhood friends', I mean."</p><p>Aubrey thought carefully what to say. To her dismay, Basil – usually quiet and timid Basil – answered. "Well… we met when we were kids. We were in the same circle of friends…"</p><p>That wasn't a lie, but it was seriously underselling it. And Aubrey felt offended. "It was more than that," she said, "I was the one to introduce him to our circle of friends. I found him at the park, playing at being a doormat while a couple of kids bullied him." And wasn't that the galling truth? Even when they were small kids, Basil's personality begged for people to take advantage of him. While she would never call Basil a stalwart of emotional intelligence – he was too anxiety-ridden for that – she had to admit the boy took his bullying with relative grace. Less outright crying, more enduring before emotionally crumbling behind closed doors.</p><p>Spitting on the face of her memories, Basil laughed, as if said memories were cherished portraits of the past. "Yeah. Aubrey came and saved me. Even back then she was a bit hot-blooded. Scared Kim and Vance all the way to the Plaza."</p><p>She perked up at the mention of her friends. "Kim and Vance?"</p><p>"Uh… yeah. They were the two who bullied me back then… Wait! You don’t remember that?"</p><p>"Oh…" She was speechless. What were the odds? Actually, pretty good considered this was Faraway Town they were talking about. But still. She outgrew her delinquent phase. One of those stupid things you do as a teenager that she was thankfully able to overcome. Knowing that she befriended Basil's tormentors… she would do it again, but it still made her feel a bit guilty.</p><p>"Ooooooh" Lunette squealed with starry eyes. "It's like a knight saving the princess from harm's way!"</p><p>Aubrey snickered while Basil hid his face in embarrassment.</p><p>"You do give out big 'damsel in distress' energies," Aubrey wheezed between short bouts of laughter. "Especially with all the flower imagery you used as a kid." Her eyes focused on the flower pinned to his lapel. "And still carry around, I see."</p><p>Basil's hand automatically reached for the pin. "I suppose that's fair. I've had more than my fair share of misunderstanding carrying this."</p><p>"Doesn't help you normally wear it on your hair," Lunette's date commented for the first time since this exchange began. Aubrey had forgotten he was here.</p><p>"Wait. You still wear that thing as a hairclip!?" Aubrey asked disbelievingly. What was Basil's age again? Twenty? Twenty-one?</p><p>"I… well… uh… I think I look handsome."</p><p>…</p><p>"HAHAHAHA-"</p><p>She couldn't help it. Aubrey laughed so hard several tables around them turned to look at them in disapproval.</p><p>"Snrk… s-sorry… snrk, i-it's just… you cannot possibly believe that!"</p><p>Basil crossed his arms and had the gall to look offended. "Sunny happens to agree with me."</p><p>…</p><p>"HAHAHAHAHAHA-"</p><p>-o-</p><p>"I'm so sorry." Aubrey profusely apologized while continuously bowing. A quirk she picked up way back when they all hanged out with Mari and Sunny, exposed to their distant eastern heritage.</p><p>They were currently standing on the sidewalk right in front of the restaurant they have just been kicked out from. For 'being disruptive'. These people wouldn't know fun if it came at them with a nail bat and swung for the head.</p><p>"It's ok," Lunette assured. "Honestly, it saved my wallet."</p><p>Aubrey huffed. "Next time don't keep me waiting for over an hour and there will be nothing to save your wallet from." A gust of wind sent chills down her arms, causing Aubrey to hug herself. "So… what now?"</p><p>"Actually," Lunette twiddled her fingers, "I was thinking we could go our way… carrying on with our dates."</p><p>Both Aubrey and Basil raised a brow at that. Wasn't the purpose of double date to do things as a pair of pairs?</p><p>Seeing their expression, the mousy girl began to quickly flicker her eyes towards her date, wiggling her own eyebrows in the process.</p><p>It didn't take long before both childhood friends caught on. Their eyes widened as a result, with the same thought crossing their mind.</p><p>
  <em>'Naughty girl.'</em>
</p><p>But Aubergine Williams was the best goddamn wingwoman this side of the continent and if her friend wanted to get some, she will.</p><p>"Sure thing!" She faked a yawn. "I'm getting tired anyways. Went to bed last night reading papers."</p><p>"You sound like an old woman," Basil teased next to her. "Oof!" She repaid with a swift elbow to the stomach.</p><p>"You young whippersnappers go and enjoy the night," she deadpanned. "Don't do anything I wouldn't." In other words: go batshit crazy and wake up in a ditch somewhere, missing a kidney.</p><p>Exchanging goodbyes, Aubrey and Basil soon found themselves standing by their lonesome. Or as alone as they could be in the middle of the busy downtown.</p><p>"You still hit hard," Basil complained, massaging where Aubrey hit him.</p><p>"Hey, that's my friends’ discount for therapy." She sounded proud of that.</p><p>Picking a page from Aubrey's own book, Basil looked at her with a flat face. "I'm already pitying your future patients."</p><p>They looked at each other. An island of silence in the cacophony of the city. Basil was the first to speak. "So… it was… um… nice… seeing you again… Aubrey. Take care."</p><p>He tried to turn and leave. Aubrey didn't let him, automatically reaching and grabbing his arm. Basil looked at the hand. Then slowly raised his head, his blue eyes meeting her teal ones.</p><p>"Aubrey?"</p><p>Why did she grab him? It was a stupid question. She knew why. She has known why for a couple of years now. She tried being angry and it tired her. She didn't have any resentment left for Basil. But by the time she realized that, it was too late. Life carried on and they were at different stages in it. People entered and left others' lives. She accepted that.</p><p>But now? This was a second chance. And those didn't come often. Would it change anything? Maybe not, but it was worth trying. Basil had changed, and not only physically. He might as well be a stranger. He was more… confident? Or at least less fidgety.</p><p>And she has changed. Surely, she can manage hanging out with an old friend… and bullying victim…. Ok, this might be harder than she thought. But she was going to try.</p><p>"I'm not really tired," Aubrey suddenly said. "And we are already dressed for the night. We might as well make the best out of it. Go to a bar. Get some drinks. Catch up… talk… if you want? My treat."</p><p>She hated how her voice came out so unsure. She was fully prepared for Basil to reject her. The fact that he got dragged into a double date to begin with was proof that he had a social life of his own. No reason to humor her.</p><p>"Oh? Uh… sure! I have nothing else to do."</p><p>She blinked. "Really? Oh… sorry. I… didn't thought this far. Hmmm… just follow me, I know a place."</p><p>She took the lead, Basil keeping up the pace next to her.</p><p>"You sounded a bit like Kel there," he teased while unclipping the flower pin off his jacket and placing it on its rightful place on his hair.</p><p>"Oh? You kept contact with Kel?" Her eyes focused on the flower clip. Strangely, even all grown up, it fit him.</p><p>"You don't?" Basil retorted.</p><p>"…fair enough. That guy is like a stubborn rash."</p><p>"Hehe, that's Kel for you. What about Sunny?"</p><p>They reached a crosswalk. Aubrey took the time looking both ways to go over the answer. "We… exchange texts every now and then. But lately we've been busy with our studies. He vomiting the mysteries of his minds. Me deciphering the rubik cube that is the human mind."</p><p>"That's good…" Basil said. Then gave her a smile that was dangerously close to a smirk. "But sounds to me like you're the one trying to vomit a story."</p><p>With the coast clear, they crossed the street. Basil allowed Aubrey to walk ahead. "So… um… you know I'm not the most socially adept guy, right?"</p><p>"Mhm."</p><p>"Then confirm I got this right… your friend and his date are going to fuck, right?"</p><p>Aubrey tripped on her own feet, a sharp "Agh" and "Ooph" being her answer right before hitting concrete. Basil laughed and walked pass her, satisfied his aching stomach was avenged.</p><p>-o-</p><p>"Welcome to The Spot!" Aubrey said with arms wide open.</p><p>Basil looked back at the entrance. "I thought the name was Charles’s Lounge."</p><p>"I like the name Hole in the Wall better."</p><p>"I thought it was The Spot."</p><p>"That's what I said, The Corner. Come!" She pulled him by his arm and towards the bar, where a disgruntled man watched Aubrey like a hawk.</p><p>"Hey Charles!"</p><p>The bartender grunted. "Aubergine, you have a lot of guts showing your face around here."</p><p>Basil squinted in confusion. He was pretty sure they were still in a nice part of town. What did Aubrey do to earn that kind of ire from a reputable establishment?</p><p>"Awww," Aubrey cooed, taking her wallet from her purse and waving it in front of Charles. His eyes followed it like a predator stalking their next meal. "And here I was thinking of not only clearing my tab, but spending money on this fine night." She leaned forward. "All cash."</p><p>A switch was turned. "Aubrey! My favorite psychopath!"</p><p>"Psychologist."</p><p>"I know what I said. What can I do for you this fine night?"</p><p>She chuckled. She pulled a couple of twenties, dropping them on the counter. "The usual for me, and whatever my friend here wants for him."</p><p>"The daily usual or the nighttime usual?"</p><p>Aubrey thought for a few seconds. "Daily usual."</p><p>The bartender nodded and turned to Basil.</p><p>"Frambroise or something similar for me."</p><p>"Pussy," Aubrey said with no heat. She slid an ID to the bartender. "Bring the drinks to me, open a tab, and don't let me leave without closing it."</p><p>She turned and sauntered to a table for two. Basil followed, taking in the atmosphere. It was calm, with only a few patrons at the moment. But it was still early enough for that to change as the night went on. Some of those patrons were young, and their eyes lingered on Aubrey when they caught her on their peripheral.</p><p>Basil could understand. Aubrey was dressed to impress and she did. What he couldn't believe was that she was dressed to impress him. By complete accident, sure, but still. Part of him couldn't wait to tell Sunny this and see his reaction. Aubrey wouldn't appreciate it, but she didn't have to know.</p><p>Taking their seats, Basil opted to lead the conversation. "So… nice place?"</p><p>"It will get busier later on," Aubrey confirmed. "But the alcohol leans towards the expensive side, so it doesn't get overwhelmingly packed."</p><p>Basil canted his head. "I would have taken you for a clubbing kind of girl."</p><p>"Well…" Aubrey trailed off as their drinks were placed in front of them. A beer with an overwhelmingly fruity aroma for Basil. And for Aubrey…</p><p>"Coffee?"</p><p>Aubrey shrugged. "I didn't discover this during a night of partying. During the day it’s a good place to just come and pour over assignments and loony books."</p><p>"Loony books?"</p><p>Aubrey's lips quirked. "A bit of an inside joke in our college."</p><p>"Sounds… a bit offensive."</p><p>"I can see why. But honestly? The alternative is to get mad. And trust me, anger is exhausting. Many of us rather play along and take it for what it is: a joke. A bad one? Maybe, but a joke nonetheless."</p><p>She sipped at her coffee, visibly untensing as the heat spread through her.</p><p>"Aubrey… are you cold?"</p><p>Aubrey looked intently at her companion for the night. When did Basil get so keen? No, that wasn't fair. He has always been perceptive to a degree. Maybe his current work just sharpened those skills.</p><p>"If… you want… you can…. I mean, I can… lend you my… jacket?"</p><p>At least those awkward fractured sentences reared their head every now and then. It… soothed her to see something so familiar and so… Basil. But back to the question at hand…</p><p>"No. I'm good. The coffee is doing its work. Thanks, anyways." She tacked at the end. If she was being honest, she wouldn't mind an extra layer and was kicking herself for not anticipating a cold night. But letting Basil giver her his coat was to close to what a gentleman would do on an actual date.</p><p>And this was decidedly not an actual date. She refused to muddy those waters.</p><p>"Why don't you tell me more about your work?" She deftly switched the topic. "I always expected you to be either a gardener or a photographer."</p><p>Basil laughed sheepishly. "I did consider that, but… I figured I rather keep my hobbies as hobbies. Had I gone professional; I fear they would have ended up as work."</p><p>While Basil took a generous gulp of his beer, Aubrey responded. "They say that 'If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.' Guess you don't agree?”</p><p>He shuddered at the taste of the beer and placed it on the table. "I think that sentiment requires a specific mindset. I don't think I have it. And is not like I dislike journalism."</p><p>Aubrey eyed the bottle of beer. "I guess you're right. Don't you like the beer?" She pointed at the bottle.</p><p>"Oh no! It's good. But the bitter aftertaste surprised me." A beat passed. "Wanna try it?" He picked up the bottle and offered it.</p><p>For a second, Aubrey short-circuited. Wasn't sharing drinks like that a bit… intimate? Then again… she and Basil had at one point been pretty close friends. Did he… still thought of her as such?</p><p>She pushed those musings away and accepted before she could regret. Bracing herself, she took a sip.</p><p><em>'Sweet! Orange Joe sweet!' </em>Were her first thought as her taste bud recoiled. But soon after, the bitter aftertaste Basil warned her about make those same taste bud recoil the other way.</p><p>It was…</p><p>"…an experience," she finished her thought out loud. Basil laughed as he accepted back his drink. "How can you drink that?"</p><p>"Same way people drink any alcoholic drink?" Basil offered. "An acquired taste?" He supplied. "It's like a bitter fruit soda. But with a harder kick."</p><p>With the initial shock subsiding, she allowed herself some time to properly process the experience. Now that Basil mentioned it, the unique taste of alcohol was present. People tend to call this kind of drinks 'girly' – as if girls couldn't kick ass – but that was because they associate them with their cheap and weak counterparts. The medium-range to expensive stuff actually had a decent alcohol content, making it easy to drink yourself drunk if not careful.</p><p>"I'm surprised you ordered coffee. I would have expected a beer or a cocktail."</p><p>Aubrey blushed. "I'm… not good with alcohol. And I practically drank a bottle of wine already. I don't trust myself to handle a beer right now."</p><p>"Is that going to be your excuse for tripping before?"</p><p>"S-shut up!" She screeched, earning a laugh from Basil. "I-I was just caught by surprised by your… vocabulary. The Basil I knew would have never."</p><p>"Sorry, sorry. I… understand. I really do. But well… the Basil you knew didn't have to deal with people that write for a living. Nor did he write for a living. You… um… gain an appreciation for the crasser elements of language after writing politically correct as a day job."</p><p>"Ugh, tell me about it. At the end of every semester, after turning my last paper, I just want to curse out a storm to cleanse my mouth of all the four syllable words I had to write and say." She met Basil's eyes. They were full of live and mirth. This… whatever it was, it was going well. Better than she hoped, if she was being honest. And at no point they mentioned-</p><p>She mentally winced at her line of thought. Go back. "So, journalism. Any stories to share?"</p><p>"Right. Let me tell you about this one time-"</p><p>Basil went on a small novella about his day job. It was something she had always admired about him. How passionate he was about his hobbies. Be it gardening, photography or Sunny. She held a snicker. Sunny. Basil had been so obsessed with the taciturn boy that she wondered how he hadn't ended up following him to wherever he was currently living. Or maybe he had. After all, this is a business trip for him. For all she knew Basil and Sunny were already planning their wedding.</p><p>"And then Joshua asked me to this stupid double date."</p><p>"Because he's too shy to do it alone," Aubrey finished, amused. "Truly a keeper that one."</p><p>"I know!" Basil exclaimed. "Like… not even me!"</p><p>That got a laugh from Aubrey. "No kidding." However, she opted to throw Basil a bone. "Though I would say that about the younger, teenage you. You… aren't the anxiety incarnate you were."</p><p>It was Basil's turn to blush. "You are just saying that."</p><p>"Uh? No, I'm serious. You can finish sentences now. You look good. Like you have your life under control."</p><p>Basil scratched his head. "Y-yeah. It does feel like that, I suppose. I guess… therapy did work. You know? I admire you… studying for that. To become a therapist, I mean."</p><p>"Yep," Aubrey said with conviction and stamping the heat on her cheek. It felt good to be praised like that. "I'm awesome. I know. But enough about me. You know?" She eyed Basil slyly, eyes roving overt his entire form "You clean up well enough. I'm sure we can get you a guy to take home tonight." She began to look around the establishment.</p><p>Then she heard a small laugh. Steadily growing in volume and consistency until Basil had to force himself reign it in.</p><p>Aubrey was confused. She pouted. "I'm serious!"</p><p>"S-sorry," Basil managed to say as his laugh subsided. "I… I know you are. But… um… ok, answer me this. Why a guy?"</p><p>Aubrey blinked. "Because you're gay?"</p><p>"Aubrey… not all effeminate men are gay… also, I prefer the term metrosexual."</p><p>As his words registered on her mind, Aubrey felt heat creep up to her cheeks for entirely different reasons, as embarrassment and confusion took over. "B-but, you… and… that means…" She clapped her hands on her face, hard, to regain a semblance of coherence. "Forget about how you dress or that thing on your head!" She pointed at the flower pin. "What about you and Sunny!?"</p><p>"…What about me and Sunny?" Basil asked with genuine curiosity. "Can't two men be close friends?"</p><p>Aubrey wanted to rip her hair off. "Basil! You followed Sunny around like a lost puppy! You were joined to his hip. You literally-" She stopped before saying something she knew she would regret.</p><p>Thankfully, Basil seemed to have gotten the gist of her message. He now looked embarrassed. "Right… I forgot you actually knew me back then. I… guess I can see how the way I acted could lead to the wrong idea. But… we were twelve. Hardly the age for me to fully understand that, don't you think?"</p><p>With the wind off her sail, Aubrey was forced to carefully consider Basil's words. It didn't take long. When said like that… he was right. They were twelve back then. The person she is today is a far cry from late teens Aubrey, who in turn is a far cry from twelve years old Aubrey.</p><p>It was natural for the same to hold true for Basil.</p><p>"Sorry to ruin your Sunny and Basil fanfiction," Basil said, barely holding back a snicker.</p><p>"Oh shut up," Aubrey grunted. "Shit… I could have sworn I was right. You were so close to Sunny."</p><p>"Unhealthily so," Basil supplied, his mirth now complemented with sad remembrance. "I didn't see it at the time… but after we confessed the truth… Sunny leaving might have been one of the best things to happen to me. I needed that distance to grow."</p><p>She nodded in understanding. It was creepy how dependent Basil had been to Sunny. Sure, a good deal of that was due to the… incident. But even before that, she could clearly remember how the flower boy gravitated to their silent friend.</p><p>And… well… there was no denying that it requires a special and obsessive level of devotion to jump from 'it was an accident' to 'let's frame a suicide to protect you'.</p><p>She didn't voice those thoughts. Doing so would be cruel. "Why Sunny? Why attach to him?" she asked instead, genuinely curious. After all, she had been the one to introduce Basil to their friends. Wouldn't it make sense for him to gravitate to her?</p><p>Basil leaned back, nursing his beer. "You're the psychologist. What do you think?"</p><p>She glared at him. "You already know, don't you?"</p><p>"I know what my therapist and I figured out. But I want to hear your take," he prompted her.</p><p>Quickly signaling a refill for her drinks, Aubrey slowly parsed through what she knew.</p><p>Why did Basil develop such a dependency in the first place? Honestly, could be multiple things: lack of friends, bullying, lack of parents for all intents and purposes. None of those directly linked to Sunny, so the 'why' to the target of his dependency has to be something about Sunny himself.</p><p>Who was Sunny? What was Sunny? He was a boy. Overshadowed by his sister. Pretty nondescript, if somewhat creepy when you squint. Has an odd sense of humor. Quiet as a crypt. Made him a good liste-</p><p>She facepalmed. "Because Sunny listened to your motormouth about plants," she deducted.</p><p>Basil laughed sheepishly. "It's a bit more complicated than that, but yeah. Sunny listened to me. Really listened. Always. As opposed to you or Kel, who were busy one-upping each other, or Hero and Mari, who were busy ogling each other and playing parents with us."</p><p>Aubrey nodded in understanding. She could see it. She herself loved going to Sunny and venting when Kel became too much and Mari was undisposed. And she knew Kel also liked hanging out with Sunny due to how approachable and easy the silent boy was. That and it was easy to drag Sunny into whatever ill-conceived scheme Kel came up with.</p><p>And if the forest of flowers sent to his hospital room meant anything, Sunny just had an understated charisma that made people cherish him.</p><p>Aubrey huffed, leaning on the table with her hand propping her head in annoyance. "Fine, so you don't swing that way. We still can get you a girl.”</p><p>"I… don't think girls look at fondly at… um… boys ditching their dates to flirt with others."</p><p>"This isn't a real date, though," Aubrey groaned.</p><p>"I know that… but at least the men glaring daggers at me don't. And I cannot imagine the girls will magically know something more."</p><p>Aubrey straightened and quickly scan their surroundings. The lounge had gotten livelier and there were several patrons in good positions to subtly catch an eyeful. Were they… were they really jealous of Basil? Of all people? For hanging out with her?</p><p>Did they really look like a couple?</p><p>Her thoughts were interrupted by the screeching sound of feedback from a sound system.</p><p>She stood up. "Steve, you suck!" She shouted at the man dealing with the microphone and speakers on the makeshift stage.</p><p>"Screw you, Aubrey!"</p><p>"Not by you!"</p><p>That earned a few howlers from the audience and a satisfying sputter from the man, who cut his losses and returned to setting up the system.</p><p>"You really are a regular here," Basil observed.</p><p>"Kinda. I had forgotten today is karaoke night, though. You sing?"</p><p>"Like a cat mewling its death knell," Basil muttered. "What about you?"</p><p>"For fun," she confirmed. "Probably gonna do a few songs when-"</p><p>"Ladies and gentlemen. Karaoke is now officially open. A round of applause to our first brave soul willing to embarrass herself on stage. Aubergine Williams!"</p><p>"Son of a…" Aubrey muttered while Basil sniggered. She downed her untouched second serving of espresso. She forgot to put sugar and Basil was rewarded with the funniest face of disgust he had ever seen on Aubrey's face. "Guess I'm doing this." She stood up and made her way to the stage. Forcefully nabbing the mike from the host, she glared at him. Before snubbing him.</p><p>"Jokes on you, pal. My voice happens to be compared to a choir of angels."</p><p>"Fallen angels?"</p><p>"Fuck off." Aubrey's tone and body language made it clear it was all an act. Down to her gently pushing the guy off the stage with a kick.</p><p>The crowd chuckled at the improvise comedy routine. Basil found himself enjoying seeing Aubrey fooling around like that. Much better than his memory of her tormenting Faraway with her gang.</p><p>"I better see some tips in that jar when I finish singing."</p><p>She sang. It was a pop song that has been incessantly playing in the radio for months now. The kind of song perfect for karaoke. Aubrey's voice… wasn't comparable to a choir of angels. But it wasn't as offensive as it could have been given the setting. She could follow a melody and wasn't tone-deaf. That alone would easily place her on the better half of people singing that night. And looking at the crowd, it seemed like Basil wasn't the only one in agreement with that thought.</p><p>Looking at Aubrey on stage, Basil couldn't help but think that this night had gone much better that he expected. Life was full of surprises and reconnecting with the pink-loving dynamite that was Aubrey… was one of the better in his life.</p><p>-o-</p><p>The night went on. People came and went. Aubrey basked on the applauses and her good-natured ribbing with the karaoke's host. And now, closing time was upon them. Aubrey was catching up with the employees. It seems she was understating when she said she was a regular, if the laughs and good-natured jabs were anything to go by.</p><p>Most of the night had been spent talking about inconsequential things, something Basil was grateful for. It was clear that the weight of their past hovered above them, but Aubrey made it a point to ignore it despite a few slipups.</p><p>The entire evening felt like the best of two worlds: reconnecting with an old, cherished friend, and meeting a new and exciting person. Basil said as much.</p><p>
  <em>"You are such a sap, Basil." Aubrey was blushing. From embarrassment at being associated with him and elation because, frankly, it was a nice sentiment at face value. If a little too saccharine for her tastes.</em>
</p><p>"What's with the goofy smile?" Present-Aubrey asked him.</p><p>"Oh… um, not much."</p><p>She narrowed her eyes. "You're hiding something."</p><p>"Just thinking about how sappy I am."</p><p>That earned him a light punch on the shoulder. "Don't embarrass me! I have a reputation to keep with this people! What if they think I'm lame!?"</p><p>A barista's apron was tossed at her from behind. "How about you get some rest? You work tomorrow."</p><p>She sighed, grabbing the piece of clothing and turning at the bartender that had welcomed them earlier. "Have I ever been late? Besides I have the afternoon shift, don't I?"</p><p>"You do. And no," the bartender agreed, "but I fear the day you finally do. Your presence represents at least a 200% increase in tips. Even when you’re not working, going by today's earnings."</p><p>"Feel free to boost my ego some more," Aubrey smirked. "It sustains me."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah. Just be here tomorrow. I don't want to hunt you down and drag you off your boytoy's embrace."</p><p>The apron was returned to the man's face in full force. Aubrey's own face was light up like a firework display, the red almost luminescent.</p><p>"It's not like that! He's a friend! A childhood friend."</p><p>"Hehehe…"</p><p>'DON'T LAUGH, BASIL!"</p><p>"Cute," the bartender responded with a vicious teasing smirk of his own. "Now go. It's late and if you want to get something out of this night and be awake for work tomorrow, you should get to work. So to speak."</p><p>"AUGH! Basil! We're leaving."</p><p>He didn't get a choice, being grabbed by the neck of his jacket and dragged away. The bartender gave him a thumbs up. Basil didn't return it and just waved a goodbye. Partially because it really wasn't like that. Partially because he honestly believed Aubrey was willing and capable of cutting of the offending digit.</p><p>The street wasn't deserted, but it was obvious the night was winding down.</p><p>"So… you work there?"</p><p>"Yep," Aubrey said, her hands rubbing against her arms to generate some heat. "Girl gotta eat. Became a regular first, then asked for a job. But I rarely work the night shift."</p><p>Basil nodded. They stood there awkwardly for a few seconds. "So… you need a taxi?"</p><p>She shook her head. "Nah. I don't live that far away. I'll walk."</p><p>"Want me to walk with you?"</p><p>Aubrey's lips quirked. "You do realize I can probably bend you like a pretzel, right?"</p><p>"Hehe, yeah. But it still would make me feel better knowing you got home safe."</p><p>"…Fine."</p><p>They walked in comfortable silence, allowing the ambience sound of the city to fill in. Aubrey remained rubbing her arms to get some semblance of warmth. She didn't notice when a sport jacket was thrown on her.</p><p>"W-what are you doing?" She asked startled. Also, when did Basil's clothes get so big?</p><p>"It's pretty cold tonight and you look like you're freezing," Basil answered innocently. "Maybe if you were wearing something with sleeves."</p><p>"I don't need your pity," she mumbled while holding the jacket closer.</p><p>"I don't think that's the word you're looking for."</p><p>"Shut up and walk me home like the good manservant you are."</p><p>"Yes, Aubrey," Basil said. Too happy and content for her taste. It was a nice change of pace from her usual life.</p><p>True to Aubrey's words, they reached her apartment complex in twenty minutes, walking at a leisure pace.</p><p>"So… this is it," Aubrey said, caressing the jacket longingly before sighing and returning it to its owner.</p><p>"R-right," Basil said, returning to the stuttering and filler words of whenever he got nervous. "I guess, um… this is goodbye? Cannot say this was how I… expected the night to go… B-but it was… nice."</p><p>"It was nice" Aubrey agreed. "But I don't think I'll be accepting any blind dates any time soon. I can only suffer through so much surprises."</p><p>"Haha, yeah. Well… goodbye, Aubrey."</p><p>He turned around to leave, but didn’t got far as a hand grabbed his shirt.</p><p>"Aubrey?" He turned around and was tackled into a hug. "Uh?"</p><p>"It really was nice to see you again," Aubrey mumbled into his shirt.</p><p>"You're hugging me?"</p><p>"Don't get used to it. I don't do hugs,” she mumbled loudly.</p><p>"Heh, I… I know. So…"</p><p>Satisfied, Aubrey broke the hug. She took a deep breath. She looked up – that was still a weird feeling – at Basil. "How long are you staying? In the city, I mean."</p><p>"Hmmm… two more weeks?"</p><p>"…Are you asking me?"</p><p>"No, I mean. Yeah, two more weeks unless I'm called earlier."</p><p>Aubrey nodded, perusing her purse. Pulling a pen and piece of paper, she quickly scribbled on it. "My number," she said. "Maybe we can… meet sometime next week? For lunch."</p><p>Basil accepted the number.</p><p>Aubrey stood in place, unsure of what to do next. Of course, she could just enter her apartment and leave it there. But…</p><p>Fuck it. She was Aubergine Williams. The best goddamn wingwoman this side of the planet, even to herself.</p><p>Before she could doubt herself, she closed the distance to Basil and pecked his cheeks.</p><p>"Good night," she muttered and quickly made for the door. Before entering, she looked back at her stunned friend. "How does Tuesday sounds? For lunch."</p><p>Basil nodded dumbly.</p><p>She winked. "It's a date." And entered the building.</p><p>He stood there for a minute, just staring at the door. Then at the phone number on his hand.</p><p>Did he…?</p><p>-o-</p><p>
  <strong>*RING RING*</strong>
</p><p>Without looking, a hand reached for the cellphone creating the monstrous racket. Looking at the screen, Sunny noticed two things. One: It was Basil. Two: It was three in the morning.</p><p>Basil better have a dead body to show for waking him up at this hour.</p><p>Answering, Sunny didn't get a chance to speak before Basil's voice blasted through the speaker.</p><p>
  <em>"SUNNY! You're awake!?"</em>
</p><p>"…" He refused to answer such a stupid question.</p><p>
  <em>"Right, I must have woken you up. Sunny, I need your help!"</em>
</p><p>That got Sunny to sit up. Oh god, Basil actually had a body to hide, didn't he? Ok. No reason to panic. He has daydreamed this scenario many times before. They were doing it right this time around.</p><p>"Hide body. I'll get shovel and meet with you. We're doing it right."</p><p>
  <em>"Wha- NO! This is not about that."</em>
</p><p>Oh, thank God. But that just means Basil woke him up at three in the morning.</p><p>
  <em>"Look, I went to a date."</em>
</p><p>Sunny blinked. Surely Basil didn't call him to gossip, right? Never mind how offensively stereotypical that would be on Basil's part. No. Sunny refused to believe that. He was waiting for the punchline.</p><p>
  <em>"With Aubrey…"</em>
</p><p>There it was.</p><p>
  <em>"And I think I accepted to go on another one."</em>
</p><p>"O…kay?" What did Basil want him to say? It was his life to gamble.</p><p>
  <em>"You're fine with that?"</em>
</p><p>Sunny groaned, realizing what this is about. "We were twelve."</p><p>
  <em>"But-"</em>
</p><p>"I'm going to sleep. Stay away from me and my dreams until at least noon."</p><p>
  <em>"But Su-"</em>
</p><p>Sunny hanged up. And went back to sleep. Seriously. It wasn't his business what freaky S&amp;M play those two did on their free time.</p><p>-o-</p><p>
  <strong>*RING RING*</strong>
</p><p>Without looking, a hand reached for the cellphone creating the monstrous racket. Looking at the screen, Kim noticed two things. One: It was Aubrey. Two: It was three in the morning.</p><p>Aubrey better have a dead body to show for waking her up at this hour. That, or a booty call.</p><p>Answering, Kim didn't get a chance to speak before Aubrey's voice blasted through the speaker.</p><p>
  <em>"KIM! You're awake!?"</em>
</p><p>"Thanks to you," Kim grumbled, reaching for her glasses in a vain attempt to maybe wake herself up by fooling her brain.</p><p>
  <em>"Right, I must have woken you up. Kim, I'm freaking out!"</em>
</p><p>That got Kim's attention. Oh god, it finally happened, didn't it? Aubrey finally snapped and did something to regret.</p><p><em>'Ok. Deep breath, Kim. You and Vance planned for this.' </em>Rushing to her feet, Kim quickly pulled a suitcase from below her bed. <em>'Aubrey finally snapped</em>' was written in big, angry red marker.</p><p>"Calm down, Aubrey," Kim calmly said over the phone, channeling her middle management business powers. "Vance and I have contingencies for this. Hide whatever evidence as best as you can. How do you feel about the name 'Francheska'?</p><p>
  <em>"What?"</em>
</p><p>"Yeah, too out there. Let's go with something closer to yours. How about 'Breya'?"</p><p>
  <em>"I did not snap, Kim!"</em>
</p><p>Kim looked at the phone, frowning. If Aubrey didn't make something happen, then…</p><p>"Are you ok?"</p><p>
  <em>"Yes, I'm fine. Just… I went on a blind date…"</em>
</p><p>"And the guy was a creep? Did he do something?"</p><p>
  <em>"No! No… it went much better than expected. Even set a second date. But…"</em>
</p><p>Kim waited patiently as Aubrey gathered her courage. What could have happened to shock Aubrey? She was normally pretty confident. And even when she isn't, she was pretty good at faking it.</p><p>
  <em>"My blind date was Basil."</em>
</p><p>Kim blinked. Then blinked again. There it was. "Basil?"</p><p>
  <em>"Yes."</em>
</p><p>"As in Faraway's Basil?"</p><p>
  <em>"The same."</em>
</p><p>"As in the flower boy?"</p><p>
  <em>"I'm repeating myself."</em>
</p><p>"The same we used to bully?"</p><p>
  <em>"Don't remind me. I'm not proud of that."</em>
</p><p>"You, the bully, are dating the kid you bullied."</p><p>
  <em>"…"</em>
</p><p>"Why is it that every time we do girl talk, your life devolves into a romcom? Can't we do normal talk?"</p><p>
  <em>"I don't do it on purpose!"</em>
</p><p>Kim sighed. "Wasn't he into boys?"</p><p>
  <em>"Yeah… turns out he wasn't. We were projecting."</em>
</p><p>"Shame," Kim forlornly said. "He was cute. Had I known; I might have tried my luck in senior year."</p><p>
  <em>"Oh god, Kim! I'm panicking! I barely made it home before crumpling into a mess!"</em>
</p><p>"Is he still cute?"</p><p>
  <em>"Yes? I guess?"</em>
</p><p>"Then tie him to a bed or something. Seems like a thing he would be into."</p><p>
  <em>"KIM!"</em>
</p><p>Kim ignored her friend's scream. "You can tell me all about your weird roleplay at a later date. It's too early to deal with this drama. If you don't need me to sneak you into Mexico, I'm going back to sleep. Bye."</p><p>
  <em>"Kim! Don't you dare hang up on-"</em>
</p><p>
  <strong>*CLICK*</strong>
</p><p>Kim hanged up on her, set her cellphone to silence, and threw it to her dirty laundry bin. She'll deal with the fallout of ignoring Aubrey later.</p><p>She curled up back into a sleeping position. Basil, huh… well, she did always think Aubrey's old friends were only a few years shy of realizing they were a confession away from a cursed love web. With Sunny as the centerpiece, of course.</p><p>Kim would never admit it out loud, but Aubrey really wasn't over that brand of craziness as she liked to make people believe.</p><p>After all, her friend has just begun dating Basil.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading. I like to use my Author's Notes to go over some writing decisions I make. Give a window into the creation process and trivia regarding it. Without further ado, let's get to it:</p><p><strong>Lunette and Joshua: </strong>OCs are a finicky thing to use, but this is not what this is about. Why I choose these names? There's thesaurus and name's meaning here. Lunette is another word for a type of window. Joshua is just another name for "Jesus". Ok, so what?<br/>The name Madotsuki literally translate to "With the Window" while Kris is a name from latin origin that means "follower of Christ". In case you don't know, Madotsuki and Kris are the protagonists of Yume Nikki and Deltarune, respectively. Doesn't mean the OCs are literally, them, but they were the inspiration.</p><p><strong>Aubergine Williams: </strong>I needed a last name for Aubrey and I like the ring of this name. There… really isn't much rhyme or reason beyond that</p><p><strong>Wait a second…:</strong> If you read my fic "Times, Wounds, and Scars", you'd recognize a couple of my choices for these characters' future. Aubrey as a psychologist, Basil working on a newspaper, and I allude to Sunny being a storyteller in some sense. Among others</p><p><strong>Lounges: </strong>I feel Aubrey would be more of a club girl, but I personally cannot stand clubs. I prefer lounges and bars when they're not busy. Places I can sit, enjoy a drink or food, and just talk. I'm projecting here.</p><p><strong>Bushfire: </strong>Shoutout to NoOne in Discord for giving this idea for AubreyxBasil ship name. At the very least, it serves as a good basis for this fic's title.</p><p><strong>Aubrey x Basil: </strong>What inspired this? The eternal war between Sunflower (Sunny/Basil) stans and Sunburn (Sunny/Aubrey) trash. I’m team Sunburn, but the ship war is tiring. So I decided for Valentine to write the hypotenuse of that love triangle. A wholesome, fluffy, slice-of-life fic of an underrepresented pairing.</p><p><strong>Sunny and Basil fanfiction: </strong>Ha! I love that line. So meta.</p><p><strong>But Basil is gay: </strong>Ok, hear me out. Is he? There’s really nothing in canon prove this beyond a doubt. He’s obsessed with Sunny (and that’s toxic, btw) and effeminate, but that’s really it. My headcanon is that he is (see my other fics) but for the purpose of this one, I explore the “what if he isn’t.”</p></blockquote></div></div>
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